United States Regiments & BatteriesConnecticut


The 8th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry Regiment lost 8 officers and 112 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 3 officers and 141 enlisted men to disease during the Civil War. The regiment is honored by a monument at Antietam.

1861
September 21 Organized at Hartford under Colonel Edward Harland, who had been a captain in the 3rd Connecticut, Lieutenant Colonel Peter Cunningham, and Major Hiram Appelman.
October 17 Left State for Annapolis, Md.
November Duty at Annapolis, Md. attached to Parke’s Third Brigade, Burnside’s Expeditionary Corps
December 23 Lieutenant Colonel Cunningham resigned and Major Appelman was promoted to lieutenant colonel.
1862
January 7-
February 8
Burnside’s expedition to Hatteras Inlet and Roanoke Island, N. C.
February 8 Battle of Roanoke Island
February 9 – March 11 At Roanoke Island
March 11-13 Moved to New Berne, N. C.
March 14 Battle of New Berne
March 23-
April 26
Operations against Fort Macon. Assigned to 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, Dept. of North Carolina
March 28 Captain John E. Ward of Company D was promoted to major.
April 12 Skirmish at Fort Macon
April 26 Capture of Fort Macon. Attached to 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, 7th Army Corps, Department of Virginia
May – July Duty at New Berne
July 2 Moved to Morehead City and assigned to 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 9th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac
July 3-5 To Newport News, Va.
August 1-5 Moved to Fredericksburg, Va.
August 31-
September 3
Moved to Brooks’ Station, then to Washington, D.C.
September-October Maryland Campaign
September 12 Frederick, Md.
September 14

Turner’s Gap, Battle of South Mountain

The regiment was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Appelman while Colonel Harland commanded the brigade.

September 16-17

Battle of Antietam

The 8th Connecticut Infantry Regiment was commanded at the beginning of the Battle of Antietam by Lt. Colonel Hiram Appelman. The regiment charged McIntosh’s Confederate battery along the Harpers Ferry Road and forced the gunners to abandon their pieces, but the regiment was not supported and its advanced position exposed it to fire from both flanks. Lieutenant Colonel Appleman was wounded and Major John E. Ward took command.

The 8th took about 400 men into battle. It lost 34 killed, 139 wounded and 21 missing, over 50% of the men engaged. The entire color party were shot down, but the colors were carried from the field by Private Charles Walker and the hundred survivors of the regiment retired in good formation.

From the monument on the Antietam battlefield:

8th Conn. V.I.
No. Engaged – 400
Killed and Wounded – 194

From the War Department marker to Harland’s Brigade on the Antietam battlefield

On the morning of the 17th, Harland’s Brigade moved from its position southeast of Burnside Bridge. The 11th Connecticut, deployed as skirmishers, preceded Crook’s Brigade in its assault on the bridge and was repulsed with great loss. During the forenoon the remaining Regiments of the Brigade moved down the left bank of the Antietam, crossed at Snavely’s Ford and, moving up the right bank of the stream, formed line on the left of the Division, Ewing’s Ohio Brigade in support. At about 3 P.M., the Brigade advanced in the direction of Sharpsburg. The 8th Connecticut passed to the west of this point and the 16th Connecticut and 4th Rhode Island were in the 40 acre cornfield east, when they were attacked in flank by the right of A.P. Hill’s Division and compelled to retire to the cover of the high ground near the bridge.

Monument to the 8th Connecticut Infantry at Antietam

Monument to the 8th Connecticut Infantry at Antietam

September 18 Duty in Pleasant Valley
October 27-
November 19
Movement to Falmouth, Va.
November 29 Colonel Harland was promoted to brigadier general.
December 12-15

Battle of Fredericksburg

December 23 Lieutenant Colonel Appelman resigned. Major Ward was promoted to lieutenant colonel.
1863
January 20-24 Burnside’s 2nd Campaign, “Mud March”
February 6-9 Moved to Newport News
March 9 Lieutenant Colonel John E. Ward was promoted to colonel.
March 13 To Suffolk
April 12-May 4 Siege of Suffolk
April 19 Fort Huger
April 24 Edenton Road
May 3 Nansemond River
May 4 Siege of Suffolk raised
June 24-July 7 Dix’s Peninsula Campaign. Assigned to 2nd Brigade, Getty’s Division, United States forces, Portsmouth, Va., Dept. Virginia and North Carolina
July 1-7 Expedition from White House to South Anna River
July Moved to Portsmouth, Va., and duty there
October 12-14 Expedition to South Mills
December 310 men reenlisted as veterans.
1864
January Assigned to Sub-District Albemarle, N. C., Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina. Veterans went to Connecticut on Veteran furlough.
March 1 Veterans return from furlough.
March 13 –
April 18
Outpost duty at Deep Creek
April 18-21 Moved to Yorktown and assigned to 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 18th Army Corps, Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina
May 4-28 Butler’s operations on south side of the James and against Petersburg and Richmond
May 5 Occupation of City Point and Bermuda Hundred
May 7
Port Walthal Junction, Chester Station

Colonel Ward was wounded in the shoulder by an artillery shell.

May 9-10 Swift Creek, or Arrow field Church
May 12-16 Operations against Fort Darling
May 14-16
Battle of Drewry’s Bluff
May 17-27 On Bermuda Hundred front
May 27-June 1 Moved to White House Landing, thence to Cold Harbor
June 1-12
Battles about Cold Harbor
June 15-18
Assaults on Petersburg
June 16, 1864 –
April 2, 1865
Siege operations against Petersburg and Richmond
July 30
Mine explosion Petersburg (Battle of the Crater) (Reserve)
August 25-
September 27
On Bermuda Hundred front. Assigned to Provost Guard, 18th Army Corps
September 28-29 Fort Harrison, New Market Heights
September 29-30 Chaffin’s Farm
October Duty in trenches before Richmond
October 27-28 Battle of Fair Oaks
December Assigned to Provost Guard, 24th Army Corps, Dept. of Virginia
1865
February Attached to 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 24th Army Corps. Colonel Ward took command of the brigade until mid-March
March 14 Colonel Ward was honorably mustered out.
April 3 Occupation of Richmond and duty there and at Lynchburg, Va.
July Attached to 2nd Provisional Brigade, 24th Army Corps
August Assigned to Dept. of Virginia
December The 8th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry Regiment mustered out